Wednesday, February 22, 2012

NSWO at the Arroyo

Last night Frenchie came running into the library telling us she was hearing a Northern Saw-whet Owl outside.  Nice! Cory and I needed this for our county list, plus NSWO is the baddest/most adorable owl there ever was.  So we walked towards it (can't say where) and I started whistling for it.  It responded right away, and flew right at my face banking off at the last minute.  We got our spotlight on it as it flew but couldn't locate it while it was perched and calling.

Tonight a friend of ours, Jeff Miller, local birder and major Marin county lister/ebirder stopped by to look for it.  It wasn't calling, but we were able to call it in within about 30 seconds of tooting.  It flew in and I got a couple photos before letting it alone again.  It took a lot of self-control not to just open up a mist net and try capturing it!  
"Pocket-sized and cuddly, you would love to take it home." ~Richard Crossley, The Crossley ID Guide
Got to love those feathered eyelids.  Mr. Snuffleupagus!
I think the resemblance is pretty obvious...

By Luke Musher

1 comment:

  1. ah! Cute eyelid photo! NSWO always responded immediately to our FLOW calls last summer in Idaho, they are angry little birds!

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